Dyer Sets Sights On Future Of Schools

The Orlando Mayor Has Focused Efforts To Save Land By Building Urban Schools Up, Not Out.

June 6, 2004|By Mary Shanklin and Beth Kassab, Sentinel Staff Writers

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is about to unveil a new vision for space-saving urban schools that rise three stories high and rely on city parks for playgrounds.

Less than a week into his first full term in office, Dyer is expected Monday to outline a sweeping proposal that would reshape almost everything about future public schools built in Orlando.

"One of the things that attracts residents and creates good neighborhoods is good schools," Dyer said in a recent interview.

"We're definitely pursuing it very vigorously."

For the mayor, who has made downtown redevelopment a priority of his administration, the plan offers strategies for avoiding the sort of disputes over growth that recently prompted the Orange County School Board to sue the city.

Highlights of the plan include:

Designing three-story schools that require less land. Dyer has said he would like to see new schools built in Parramore, a longtime poverty-stricken neighborhood, or in the more-upscale Conway area near Barber Park.

Donating 150 acres of city recreational property for schools at 12 to 14 sites around the city. The proposal calls for using city parks as school playgrounds.

Letting developers reserve spaces for students at schools and then pay to temporarily bus children elsewhere until room is available.

Approving development projects whenever nearby schools are slated to get more space within the next three years.

Asking the school district to commit to a date when new schools or new classrooms would open.

Requiring developers to donate school sites.

Crafting a new school-funding system to deal with concerns by developers that their contributions to schools will be spent as originally intended.

"What we're trying to do is make it easier and more attractive for the school district to build schools in the more densely populated areas," Dyer said.

Tonja Gerhartz, deputy director of economic development for the city, said Dyer planned to unveil his vision of urban schools at a council meeting on Monday.

Much of Dyer's school vision needs the support of the School Board -- a political body that has been warring with the city for months.

The fracas started in March when the City Council approved a 160-town-home development despite objections that it would further crowd nearby schools.

The board later sued the city in hopes of getting the town-home decision overturned.

Orange County Commissioner Teresa Jacobs continues to push for the county to sign off whenever city developments affect schools attended by county residents.

Now, city officials are about to ask for support from the same School Board members who are suing.

On Friday, Dyer released a press statement that tried to promote the idea that the city and school system are working together now.

"I'd say that right now, the relationship is a bit rocky but it's our hope we'll have a series of meetings in the middle of June that will bring about a much stronger interlocal working agreement and a much stronger relationship," said School Board member Tim Shea, who met with Dyer Friday.

School Board members have not seen Dyer's plans, but they say they are open to considering the ideas.

"Basically at this point, all we're saying is the School Board is willing to sit down with the mayor and his staff and look at proposals they would like put on the table," said School Board Chairman Bert Carrier.

One possible obstacle that stands in the way of Dyer's vision of attractive, new city schools is that Orlando is not in dire need of new schools.

Unlike schools in the fast-growing suburbs, many of Orlando's campuses have extra capacity.

But school officials said they would consider closing some of the older, emptier campuses that do not serve children well and consolidating them into a new school.

School Facilities Director Pat Herron said the ideas are preliminary, and no one has proposed closing specific schools.

But the idea for smaller urban campuses is being considered as consultants get ready to present a long-term construction plan to the School Board in the next month.

"In many respects, the city and the school district are looking for the same thing," Herron said.

"We're interested in equity in our school system throughout."

Meanwhile, politicians have been busy pencilling in meetings to find a way to balance development and school crowding.

On June 22, the School Board has scheduled a closed-door session to discuss legal matters. It's likely that the board will talk about withdrawing its lawsuit over the town-home project.

The board recently settled matters with the town-home developer, getting Pulte Homes to agree to pay for busing students from its development to undercapacity schools, such as Orlando's Jones High School.

On June 29, the School Board will meet with the Orange County Commission to discuss the new neighborhoods and their affect on schools.

Amid this series of meetings, nothing has been scheduled between the City Council and the School Board, although staff members have been meeting.

"We haven't heard exactly what the mayor's plans are yet," said Carrier. He added that hard feelings of the recent past seem to be over.

"My personal perspective is that cooler heads have prevailed, and we have realized we are all trying to accomplish the same thing," he said.